The Founders War pt 1: The Hogwarts Four
by Screaming Ferret
Summary: First part in what will (hopefully) be a series about the founding of Hogwarts. But only if I get lots of good reviews ::hint, hint:: ;)


A/N; This one's about the founding of Hogwarts, over a thousand years ago. I've set it in the dark ages (coz they're about a thousand years ago, duh). This will (hopefully) be the first part of a series about Slytherin and co. I kinda like Salazar. He gets the good lines. Is it any coincidence that his name comes up as 'sleazy' on the spellchecker? All the characters etc belong to JK, please don't sue. All you'd get is a stack of fantasy novels and a cat. Speaking of animals, must go and feed the fire lizards. Please R+R:)  
  
The Founders War, Part one  
  
The Hogwarts Four.  
The full moon rose above a rugged mountain and glimmered in the depths of a great lake at its foot. The wind whistled through the branches of a great wood that in time men would call the 'Forbidden Forest', but for now had no name. For a moment, clouds scudded across the moon's face, throwing the scene into darkness. And beneath the great trees at the edge of the forest, a ruddy warm glow flickered and danced. The light of the fire revealed a slim woman seated sedately on a log. She was tiny, raven-haired and dressed in a simple white robe. In one white hand she held a carved wooden cup. The woman slowly raised the cup to her lips and took a sip, her eyes scanning the surrounding trees. A slight movement in the darkness beyond the clearing caught her eye and she stared intently at the spot. Leaves rustled, a twig snapped, then a man emerged from the trees into the circle of firelight.   
  
The man was extraordinary. He was huge, with a bristling blond beard. His hair was braided and he wore a long chain-mail shirt. A silver hilted sword was sheathed at one hip, a brutal looking war-axe at the other. He pushed back his shaggy wolfskin cloak and held his hands out to the fire. The man and the woman looked at each other across the fire. The giant spoke first.  
"The others have not arrived." It was not a question.  
"Nay, Godric." the woman answered. "You are early my friend. Sit and have some wine."  
Godric Gryffindor, for it was he, took the wine Rowena Ravenclaw offered him and crouched before the fire. "What's taking them so long? You know we all agreed to meet here at the first full moon after Beltane."   
Rowena smiled. "But the others have further to come. You must be patient, warrior."  
"Further to come" he snorted, getting up and pacing. "They can all Apparate, can't they..."  
  
He was interrupted in his pacing by a loud 'pop' and the sudden appearance of a wizard right in front of him. This new arrival was tall, thin and draped in a long black cloak. The wizard drew his cloak tighter about himself and looked around in disgust.  
"Faugh. The weather on this cursed isle has not improved at all since last I was here" he commented as a chill wind fanned the flames of the fire.  
  
"Welcome Salazar" Rowena said with a tolerant smile. He glanced at her. "Ravenclaw" he acknowledged. Godric moved closer to the fire to greet the new arrival. Salazar Slytherin turned to look at him. "And Gryffindor" he whispered.  
"Slytherin" Godric replied neutrally. He turned back to Rowena. "When will Helga be here? Has she owled you?"  
"Mistress Hufflepuff has never been, ah, shall we say, reliable" Salazar murmured from his side of the fire. He smirked. "Such is her talent for getting lost that she's probably half way to Egypt by now."  
Godric glared at him. "Helga is a great witch. She defeated the Ice Witch of Raevens Fjord."  
"Yes, and all by herself too" Salazar said with a slight grin.  
  
What promised to be an interesting argument was diverted by a shrill scream from away over the treetops. A second later a shape appeared in the moonlit sky, heading fast towards the clearing, screaming. The shape proved to be a large witch precariously perched on a broomstick.  
"Get out of the way!" she yelled, waving one huge hand. "Outta the way, I can't stop!" This last was said with a gleeful shriek as the gathering around the fire scattered and Helga Hufflepuff crashed into a bush.  
  
Helga climbed out of the hazel clutching a battered broomstick and straightened her green, earth stained robes. "Oops" she grinned. "Never could get the hang of this landing business." She dropped the broom with a sigh. Helga was a powerfully built woman with thick blonde hair in two braids and a perpetually cheerful expression. She looked around at her colleagues. "Great, are we having a party? Is there anything to drink?"  
  
The others looked at each other, amused. Godric laughed and slapped a bronze cup into her hand, and poured her wine. Helga took a huge draught of wine. "Thats better" she declared. "So. When do we start?"  
Rowena looked around at the others. "That's what we came here to decide."  
"Decide what?" Godric snorted. "It was all decided years ago. To set up a school for wizards and witches here in England. You said it yourself, Rowena. It was written in the stars."  
  
"Yes, the founding of a school has indeed been written in the Book of the Heavens" she said softly. "For years we Seers have waited to see this come to pass, then the stars revealed to us the names of the founders." She paused, staring into the fire.  
"Godric Gryffindor the Brave." Gryffindor stood bathed in the light of the fire, his hand on his sword hilt.   
  
"Salazar Slytherin the Serpent-tongue." Slytherin stood outside the pool of light, his face in darkness.   
  
"Helga Hufflepuff the Strong." Helga folded her arms and nodded.  
  
"And myself. Rowena Ravenclaw, also called the Wise." She smiled wryly. "I do try to live up to that one."  
  
Helga grinned. "Well, here we all are. Why don't we get on with this? It's a chilly night and I think I'd rather be someplace warmer."  
"Yes, why don't we" Salazar growled. "And someone remind me why we chose this gods-forsaken spot." He glared at the trees as if they had personally offended him.   
Rowena looked at him. "We chose this place, Salazar, because it is a spot far from muggle eyes. They will never find the school here."  
"Muggles" Slytherin spat. "I hate them. Why don't we just wipe the whole bloody race off the face of the earth?"  
Gryffindor stepped forward. "Muggles are people as well as us. They are not rats to be exterminated. We should learn to live alongside them."  
"Noble sentiments, Gryffindor. So noble it makes me sick." He paused. "Tell me, Gryffindor, have you ever seen a witch or wizard tortured, ripped apart by a muggle mob?"  
  
Dislike was evident on both faces as they glared at each other. Finally, Helga got up, cracked her knuckles and stepped between them, pushing them apart.  
"No fighting, gentlemen" she said firmly. "We're all friends here. Or at least not enemies." The look she gave them was pointed.  
  
Godric grinned sheepishly. "Right. No fighting." He unsheathed his sword and thrust it point down into the earth between them. Resting his hands on the pommel, he spoke;   
"We'll build it here, our school. It will be a haven for our kind, a place to educate young witches and wizards, of magical and muggle descent." He looked pointedly at Slytherin, who remained silent.   
"Very well." Rowena covered Godric's hand with her own on the pommel of the sword. "By your gods and mine, Gryffindor, it will be so."  
Helga looked at them and shrugged. She put her hand on the sword too. "I'm in."  
She glanced at Salazar. "What about it? You in or not?"  
"What can I say? I can hardly refuse so gracious an invitation, can I?" he murmured. Slytherin looked at them a long moment, standing there around the sword.   
"Very well, Hufflepuff. I am 'in.'" He laid his hand over hers.   
  
The oath they swore was solemn, and they each took a vow of dedication to their task.   
As soon as each member of the little group had taken the oath they broke apart. Rowena was first to Apparate away, back to Wales. Gryffindor left the fire and went a little way into the woods. Seconds later, Helga and Salazar saw the gleaming eyes and tawny coat of a huge lion as it padded away into the forest.   
  
Salazar looked at Helga. She was seated on the log, staring thoughtfully into the flames. He smiled inwardly.  
"I'll leave you here, Hufflepuff. Goodbye, and good luck."  
She looked up and smiled. "Goodbye Salazar" she said. He drew his black cloak tighter around his shoulders and Disapperated with a faint 'pop'.  
  
Helga rose from her log and kicked earth over the dying fire. The stars were fading from the sky, but she smiled up at them anyway.  
"And so it begins" she murmured, to nobody in particular. She picked up her broom with a grimace, and climbed on to it.  
  
A fat badger, out hunting for grubs was mystified to see a large, green clad woman astride a broom, and running across a forest clearing as fast as she can. The third run-up proved to be successful, and the large woman laughed uproariously as the broom finally took off. She soared jerkily over the treetops and disappeared in the sunrise over the lake.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
